Medical Link Calls

Radio Medical Advice
Under an EC directive, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, through HM Coastguard, is required to provide Radio Medical Advice (RMA) for ships at sea.

Requests from Masters and Skippers of vessels at sea requiring medical advice or medical assistance are dealt with by HM Coastguard, who will arrange a telephone link that will allow the Master to speak to a doctor.

When medical advice is required, the vessel should call the Coastguard by VHF DSC, VHF Channel 16, MF DSC or via Inmarsat. The master/skipper may use the words ‘Pan Pan’ to alert the co-ordination centre to the urgency of the call, which will be given priority. A doctor from a nominated hospital will be contacted by telephone, and the doctor will be linked through the Coastguard communication system to the appropriate communication means in order to speak direct to the vessel.

While the call is being placed, the Coastguard will establish additional information with the vessel relating to position, a description of the vessel and if appropriate, brief details of the casualty.

Requests for Medical Assistance
The Master or Skipper of a vessel requesting medical assistance for an injured or sick person will also be required to seek medical advice prior to HM Coastguard tasking a Search and Rescue (SAR) unit. While this is being arranged, the co-ordination centre will establish additional information and may bring a search and rescue unit to immediate readiness. In exceptional cases, the co-ordination centre may scramble/launch a SAR unit on receipt of the call but it is also obliged to arrange a Radio Medical Advice call for the vessel.

HM Coastguard’s Integrated Coastguard Communication System (ICCS) provides the control of telephone, VHF and MF radio communications within its co-ordination centres. ICCS links co-ordination centres to remote radio sites strategically located at MF and high VHF vantage points around the coast of the UK giving almost full cover of the coast to 150 nautical miles and 30 nm respectively. Within ICCS, HM Coastguard has Duplex channels 23, 84 and 86 which provide a dedicated facility for MSI and Radio Medical Advice link calls, leaving the existing frequencies free for their routine uses.